Cops punished for not paying club fees

A police station in Bulawayo has ordered junior officers who failed to make contributions to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)-run Kuyedza Women's Club to "bring hoes" for use in manual labour as punishment.

Njube Police Station officers who were not up-to-date with their "affiliation fees" to Kuyedza Club, which is headed by Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri's wife Isabel, were being forced to endure punishment at the hands of their bosses until they make payment.

ZRP Kuyedza Women's Club is a self-help club for wives of police officers residing in camps and is currently embroiled in a nasty court case involving alleged abuse of money by senior officers' wives.

A source said the junior officers were being forced to slash tall grass, tend to flower beds and pathways as punishment for failing to pay the affiliation fees and monthly subscriptions which range between $5 and $10.

"We are being punished for failing to pay the subscription fees, yet we understand that Kuyedza is voluntary club and it has nothing to do with the police force. It is a club for wives of police officers yet we are being forced to pay the fees even though some of us are not married," one junior officer said on condition of anonymity.

A note entered in the station's occurrence book on February 25 and signed by a police inspector, whose force number is recorded as 047081E, indicated punishment would be meted out on defaulters.

"All male members who did not pay Kuyedza affiliation money and Kuyedza material to report to Mabethwe Camp gate for punishment. Members to perform extra duty from 1600hrs to 1800hrs. Members are directed to bring hoes. Extra duty to be done on a daily basis until they pay up the required money," the inspector wrote.

Former police officer Tafadzwa Gambiza said he also endured such humiliation during the time he served in the ZRP.

"These are the embarrassing situations that force junior cops into corruption, being forced to do humiliating work just because you did not oil senior officers' pockets," he said.

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, however, refuted the claims, saying Kuyedza Club was not part of police core business.

"Kuyedza Women's Club is for police officers' wives who join the club voluntarily, nobody is forced to be part of the club," Charamba said.

This is not the first time Chihuri's men had been forced to part with their hard-earned money.

Reports of junior officers being forced to make dubious payments to benefit senior personnel are common within the force.